Turkish court rejects U.S. pastor’s appeal

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A Turkish court rejected an appeal on Tuesday for an American pastor to be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges, his lawyer said, in a case that has raised the threat of U.S. sanctions against Ankara.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson reacts as he arrives at his home after being released from the prison in Izmir, Turkey July 25, 2018. Demiroren News Agency, DHA via REUTERS

Relations between the two NATO allies have spiraled into a full-blown crisis over the trial of Christian pastor Andrew Brunson, who was held for 21 months in a Turkish prison until his transfer to house arrest last week – a move Washington dismissed as insufficient.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to impose “large sanctions” on Turkey unless it frees the pastor, who is accused of helping the group Ankara says was behind a failed military coup in 2016.

Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, faces up to 35 years in jail if found guilty of the charges, which he denies.